‘Secularism, free speech’ in danger: Sonia Gandhi attacks BJP-RSS

In a veiled attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Congress President Sonia Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha today, that there are some organizations in the country which have no role in the freedom struggle and had vehemently opposed the Quit India Movement.

Speaking on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, Sonia said, “We must not forget that some organizations opposed Quit India Movement. Such organizations have no role in freedom struggle.”

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, she said the politics of hatred and revenge is prevailing in the country which has left no place for open debate and discussion.

“Today it looks secularism and free speech are in danger: There is politics of divide; if we have to preserve freedom, we’ll have to defeat forces endangering it,” she added.

Recounting the freedom struggle of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and other Congress leaders, Sonia said, “During the freedom struggle, Pandit Nehru spent several years in jail, many Congress workers died in jail. A lot of atrocities were committed on the protesters during the Quit India Movement but no one stepped back.”

Earlier in the day, observing the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the nation to make India free from poverty, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism and to create a ‘New India’ by 2022.

The Prime Minister took to his Twitter handle to praise the sacrifices of all the bravehearts who were part of the movement to free India from the British rule.

“On the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India movement, we salute all the great women & men who took part in the movement (sic),” he tweeted.

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